Friday, April 22, 2011

A National Strategic Narrative

This could be the most important document to come out of the Pentagon. It sets the right precedent and direction to Americans and where we are heading into the 21st century. In the

The United States needs a national strategic narrative, if the United States wishes to remain a great power in the 21st century. "We want to become a the strongest competitor and most influential player in a deeply interconnected global system which requires that we invest less in defense and more in sustainable prosperity and the tools of effective global engagement."

The strategic narrative of the Cold War was that the United States was the leader of the free world against the communist world; that we would invest in containing the Soviet Union and limiting its expansion while building a dynamic economy and as just, and prosperous a society as possible. Now that our circumstances have changed, our plan needs to reflect a change.

The report revolves around changing our strategy in the 21st century: "From control in a close system to credibile influence in an open system, from containment to sustainment; from deterrence and defense to civilian engagement and competition, from a zero sum to positive sum global politics/economics, from national security to national prosperity and security."

It is time to move beyond a strategy of containment to a strategy of sustainment, from an empathize on power and control to an emphasis on strengthen and influence; from a defensive posture of exclusion, to a proactive posture of engagement.

Douglas Feith in War and Decision, George Bush started a fundamental cultural change of our governments role, and our American lifestyle. Acting in accordance to how Al-Qadea wanted us to react following the events of 9/11.

Douglas Feith remarks, America the place has often been to greatest antidote to United States Foreign Policy. The United States must be continue to be a open and tolerate society. The United States is a demographically vibrant society opposed to the ethnicity entrenched society of Europe.One of America's greatest strengthens is our "openness, human liberation, and personal freedom that defined our society" an idea that Al-Qaeda recongized and waged a war on.